The Lord Jesus is the only person by whom our prayers and praises must be offered to his Father; through him we receive all mercies, for which we' address prayers or praises to God.— Dean Stanhope. In many ways, and particular respects, we may, and we ought to perform all we do " in the name of Jesus." We should do every thing out of grateful affection and respect to him, as our chief principle; every thing as his servants, aiming at pleasing him, and promoting his honour as our principal end; every thing according to his will and commandments, as our constant rule; every thing according to his example, as our best pattern; every thing in confidence of his gracious assistance and blessing, as our only strength and support; every thing with hope of acceptance purely on his account; every thing with thankful sense of acknowledgment to God, for the mercies and favours conveyed to us by his means, and conferred upon us for his sake; every thing with humble petitions to him, or with prayer to God in his name; in short, every thing with a due and proper regard had to him; so that he be not passed over, or left out, in any thing we undertake. In this, the life of our religion, of all our good practice, all our devotion doth consist.-Dr. Isaac Barrow. "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 3. Dead, that is, to the world, and to all the vain and sinful motives and desires thereof, (Bp. Hall). A true Christian looks forward to that eternal life in heaven, which Christ has pur chased for him, and therefore his mind is not eagerly bent upon the pleasures and the advantages in this world; his eternal state is what he most regards. Towards heaven his thoughts are turned; there is his treasure, there his life; on Christ he rests his hopes; in his paths he seeks to walk; he fights against sin, and tries to mortify it, to destroy it; he puts forth all his power to resist what he knows to be wrong; he anxiously desires to do what is right; and Christ strengthens him and assists him; "his life is hid with Christ in God;" and, when his earthly labours are over, he shall enter upon that eternal life, which Christ will give to all those who have been his faithful servants upon earth. THE MAGNIFYING GLASS. Look through this magnifying glass. I am going to shew you the feet, and the wings, and the head of a common fly; this is its leg; see the claws; the head appears to have a hundred eyes.-I must shew you the parts of a bee. See what a dreadful weapon the sting appears. I hope, Henry, you will be cautious how you catch bees again: and I am sure you will not take a pleasure in tormenting flies, now you have seen what limbs they have. You may be sure that they suffer great pain and agony when their wings and legs are torn off. I never could endure to see a cock-chafer spinning, as they call it, on a pin. The noise and humming which it makes, is its way of crying and groaning. Let me beg of you therefore, Henry, if you wish to be a boy of a generous spirit, never to take pleasure in hurting any thing that is less and weaker than yourself. Think how you should like to have a huge strong man tie a string about you, and pull you along, and whirl you about in the air till you lose your senses; then break your limbs, and perhaps throw down, at last, and tread upon you.― Mrs. Trimmer. BIRD TRAPS. A little boy was so fond of birds, that he would try every means in his power to catch them. One day he had fixed his traps made of sticks and bricks, and being obliged to go out for a week, forgot to say any thing about his traps. When he came home, the first news he heard was that a poor robin had been caught in one, where he remained till he was starved to death; in another a sparrow was crushed to pieces, and one had its leg broke. A kind hearted boy will always be very sorry to torment any creature in this manner.— Mrs. Trimmer. |